Through the Studio Glass
by whatplanetdididial
Summary: Ishida Yamato has a dream to make it big. Sora reminds him it's a long road to stardom. Taichi's just around for the free music. One-shot.


ooo

 **Through the Studio Glass**

*.*.*.*

* * *

"There are bands, and then there are _bands_."

"And… which one are you guys, again?" Taichi quipped.

"We're a _band_ , you imbecile."

Sora watched Yamato pound his fist onto the soundboard in exasperation and she fought the urge to shake her head. She hadn't seen him this upset in a while and to be honest, she didn't understand why he was even angry in the first place. She thought a movie gig was a huge break for the guys, but apparently contributing to a low-budget, motion picture soundtrack didn't constitute _real_ band work.

"We'll never get anywhere if we gain a reputation as a studio band – you guys don't understand! Once you become a studio musician, there's no turning back."

Yamato paced around in circles, angrily muttering to himself. He had a habit of running his hand through his hair when he was agitated, and it only added to his already frenzied look.

"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?" Sora ventured cautiously. "Maybe this is just a stepping stone to the next level. You have to start somewhere, right? This seems like the perfect opportunity to put your band on the map."

"Yeah, man! Look, go back in there and show us what you came up with. I'm sure it's at least half-way decent."

Both Sora and Yamato shot Taichi a death-glare, to which he responded with a simple shrug of his shoulders.

"What? That was a compliment!"

Yamato grumbled unintelligibly before trudging into the recording area. Slamming the door behind him, he snatched at his bass and spun around to face his friends through the glass window. Taichi leaned forward in the studio and pressed a button that made his voice project over the speaker system.

"Alright, give it go!"

As soon as Yamato's fingers starting moving, Sora and Taichi sat back and listened to the intricate melody flow through the room. Neither was particularly cultured when it came to music, but it was obvious there was a complexity to the piece that was going straight over their heads.

"This is technically good, right?" Taichi whispered into Sora's ear. "I can't tell."

She couldn't either.

The two plastered on what they thought were convincing smiles and waited for the song to end. Luckily they didn't have to wait long; after a laborious, final strum of the instrument, Yamato sat down and looked up expectantly.

"Now what?" Sora said through clenched teeth as the blonde waited for a response.

"I don't know, you're his girlfriend. This is your territory, not mine."

She leaned forward and pressed the button.

"That was great, Yamato!" she exclaimed in a voice much higher than normal. "I'm sure it'll sound even better once it's all mixed and on-screen!" In response, Yamato set down his bass and smacked his head into both of his palms, clearly distraught.

"Nice going, Sora," Taichi snickered.

"Get bent," she muttered before rushing into the recording room. Mindful of Taichi's eyes on them, Sora sat a respectable distance away from Yamato, daring only to pry away one of his hands and give it a light squeeze. It was a few seconds before she actually spoke up.

"You know, I've always wondered what it'd be like to sit in one of these rooms," she mentioned casually.

One thing Sora had learned about Yamato was that he wasn't one to talk under pressure. There was no point in directly asking what was really bothering him; he'd tell her when he was ready.

"When I told Mother that Taichi and I would be visiting you here, she told me to take lots of photos, can you believe it?" Sora chuckled at the memory. "I don't think she's ever asked me to take a picture for her before, she was so excited I'd be stepping foot into a real studio."

Yamato let out a small, "tch," but his eyes lifted up to meet hers, urging her to continue.

"I think it's because there's a lot of prestige associated with people who do this kind of thing for a living," she carried on. "It's fascinating to think that so many masterpieces were created in rooms like these. And one day it'll be your turn."

She paused, giving him enough time to gather his thoughts.

"This just… feels like a failure somehow," he admitted quietly. "We finally got recognized for our talent, and our reward is getting pushed into the dark to work behind-the-scenes for some movie nobody's going to watch."

Sora let his words sink in before responding.

"Entertainment touches everyone in one way or another, Yamato. Music is a universal language – it's something everyone can understand." She reached out again, this time lacing her fingers through his and keeping them there. "You're so incredibly lucky to be in a position where you can share your passion with others. Today it might be with ten people, but tomorrow it'll be millions. You just have to keep working hard and stay patient through it all."

Yamato pulled Sora close and rested his forehead onto hers so that they were only inches apart.

"God, I love you," he whispered huskily.

Sora wasn't sure who leaned in first, but it was only a matter of seconds before she found herself locked in the kind of kiss that knocked people senseless. When they finally pulled back for air, she hummed in agreement, knowing that Yamato would understand she returned the sentiment.

He leaned forward again when the unexpected crackle of an overhead speaker jolted the two apart. Taichi's voice echoed through the small enclosure, reminding them they weren't alone .

"Just so you guys know, I may or may not have accidentally recorded part of your pep talk at some point."

He pressed another button and Sora's voice rang out over the overhead system.

" –tomorrow it'll be millions. You just have to keep working hard and stay patient through it all." Sora's cheeks burned bright red as the tape played a garbled version of Yamato's profession, and suddenly the room was filled with the sounds of their lips heatedly pressing together. Mortified, she snapped her head towards the window, seconds from charging at the brunette through the glass.

"Taichi!" she cried indignantly.

Grinning goofily, Taichi remained unfazed.

"And for the record," he added, taking out the tape and waving it in the air. "This is a totally inappropriate soundtrack, Yamato. I wouldn't use it if I were you – waaaay too mushy for an action-thriller."

And with a wink, he dashed out of the building with the tape, both Sora and Yamato hot on his heels.

*.*.*.*


End file.
